Looks fab👍💋

Centrelines 🤔

Don't know if you guys know about the Grand National Roadster show, it's a big deal hot rod show in the States. This year Hot VWs mag we're asked to gather some cars, including a lot of their old featured stuff.

Well this popped up amongst the various Instagram coverage today, the buggy that's responsible for ours. I remember it just blew me away at the time., you can probably see the slight resemblance....

Those pics have got me thinking, I've got an old 'Dart Vader' Simpson helmet, the foam liners knackered, might be cool singed to match....

Love the Grand National Roadster Show and love that Manx I remember it from back in the day.

We've been doing lots of small stuff, so no big changes.
The MC was dead, went to bleed the brakes and the pedal went straight to the floor but no fluid came out the bleed nipples. So we took the opportunity to upgrade from single to dual circuit, at the same time replaced the hard and flexies in the front, so it's basically got a new brake system.
Mark has been going through the wiring, it was a bit lashed the first time, trying to get it ready for 'Wheels Day' in 92 at 1 in the morning, 'stuff' got done, so this was an opportunity to undo it.
Another mate, Pete, helped changed the flywheel oil seal and the pushrod tubes. I bought a 'torque master' tool for the flywheel, made the job a breeze, can't recommend enough.
Today I finally got the rear lights sitting in the body as I'd always wanted, a lot of fettling, and I doubt anyone else would notice, but I'm happy. 
There's still a fair list of little bits, one of which is the clutch cable. I ran a new cable, and we all know what a joy that job is, and I bought a swage less fitting as recommended, 4mm m8. Well the cable's 3mm, so that didn't work, and the cables now cut.... Have a little rethink on that.
As a quick job, I thought I'd fit the front bearing covers, well, they don't fit. I've got 'late' ones, the pan is a 54, so another job back in the list

Cool. What reservoir are you using?

I remember painting my bearing covers years back then chipping the paint smashing them back on. 

Cool. What reservoir are you using?

I remember painting my bearing covers years back then chipping the paint smashing them back on. 

Yes Dave, that will be interesting. I did have the originals, knocked out all the hammer dings, polished them and took them to a players for chrome, but they lost them.

Master cylinder is a late bug dual circuit, the reservoir is the Volvo one, but this one is actually one Empi now make for this application.

Found on Facebook...

Yep, it will be one of the cars at Vowo with Stu Betty, Back to 89 display...if i finish it..

So much to do still, engine still not in, tank still not in, bonnet still not on, and ive been working on it every and all weekends, and every evening, I dont remember taking this much off it!

The old tank was very rusty inside from sitting around, so we bought a new one from GFS. and although not as nice as a VW tank, its not bad, more importantly it misses all the suspension/steering, and fits under the bonnet. But, I didnt have all the pipes for the breather, so another parts order required. Hopefully it will be in this weekend.
Thought id get on with the engine, just putting tinware on, but Id forgotten that for the last vowo, it was also a bit of a rush, and i'd not fitted the fan. In fact, I couldnt even find it!  A rumage around found another one, and backing plates, but no way of holding the two together, and so it goes on.  Im not sure it will be a driver by next Friday, but hopefully it will ,look like a complete car.

Things are moving along, tank in, bonnet on, that was a days work unbelievably. Fitting all the filler/breather pipes for the petrol inlet was a pain, on my back on the floor, head under the dash, legs over the cage. Felt like a kid on a climbing frame, but no where near as much fun.
Oh, also made a new shifter. The old Scat trigger shifter was a pain to use, too close to your left leg, so I made this offset one, using 66/67 bug shifter for the base, because it has a locating pin that drops in the shift rod, which stops it spinning.  Just looking for a suitable boot.
So that was the two steps forward this weekend, the one step backwards was damaging the fan housing. School boy error, tried to pull it off with the generator stand on, cylinder tin now has a nice big chip.  Back to paint shop tomorrow, Monday, show on Friday....

Loving the gear lever. Quite easy to knock up a gaiter but I guess you're short on time. 

Felt like a kid on a climbing frame, but no where near as much fun.

Have spent so much time laid twisted on my back trying to get hands arms in places there were never designed to go. I can fit a cable tie through a support around a cable bundle now with an arm stretched to max length, eyes closed for concentration, and using just two fingers of same hand. Kid you not here.... Seats. pedals, gear lever, hand brake all getting in the way.......

Take care tho...... I am just getting the use of my left knee back. Been unable to put any weight on leg for a few weeks. Kneecap being x rayed this Friday.... 

We had Sign79 over yesterday to finally complete the graphics. This was something Id always wanted to do, just didn't have the skill or time. There's an after and before pic, cos I couldn't figure out how to post them the other way around
Also started piecing together the engine tin. My good mate Darren at DM Metal Craft in Shepperton turned the tinware repair around the same day.

Got carb issues now tho, I have a pair of type 3 32's that have been  checked over and ready to go, but the linkage will be a pain to convert, although I've done it before, or I have a couple of 34icts, supposedly a kit, but looking closer, I think I may have similar problems with linkage, and neither set has air cleaners. Or I could chuck on my 49's for the show, and work out carbs after. The 40's will be way to much carb, as it's only a stick 1600, but it might be the quickest option, it now being Wednesday, and it's at the show on Friday..

We made it! Bit of a slog, and it's still not 'finished', but it's a lot closer than it was

Amazing work, well done.!